Pneumatic control valve and power reserve for a mattress

Abstract

A pneumatic control valve and power reserve in the form of pressurized gas in a pressurization chamber, for elastically deforming a diaphragm without closing off two admission ( 2 ) and respectively discharge ( 3 ) orifices of said valve and able to place the opening of the valve by depressurization of said pressurization chamber 5 is disclosed. The valve may be used for total and rapid deflation of a therapeutic mattress having a plurality of compartments that are inflated with air, including at different pressures.

1. An apparatus for use in deflating pressurized air chambers of an air mattress, the apparatus comprising
 a first valve having a pressurization chamber and a diaphragm that flexes between a first position allowing the pressurized air chambers of the mattress to vent to atmosphere and a second position blocking pneumatic communication between the pressurized air chambers of the air mattress and atmosphere, 
 a non-return valve coupled pneumatically to the first valve and configured to permit pressurized air to enter the pressurization chamber and prevent backflow of pressurized air out of the pressurization chamber, 
 a compressor operable to pressurize the pressurization chamber of the first valve through the non-return valve to flex the diaphragm from the first position to the second position, and 
 a drain cock coupled to the pressurization chamber and movable between an opened position in which the pressurization chamber is pneumatically coupled to atmosphere and a closed position in which pneumatic communication between the pressurization chamber and atmosphere is blocked, 
 wherein, when the drain cock is in the closed position and the compressor is operated, the pressurization chamber is pressurizable by the compressor to cause the diaphragm to flex from the first position to the second position, 
 wherein, when the compressor is no longer operating and the drain cock is in the closed position, pressure within the pressurization chamber is maintained due to the non-return valve and the drain cock preventing escape of pressurized air from the pressurization chamber, 
 wherein, after the pressurization chamber has been pressurized and the compressor is no longer operating, the drain cock is movable from the closed position to the opened position to allow the pressurized air to escape to from the pressurization chamber thereby allowing the diaphragm to flex from the second position to the first position thereby allowing the pressurized air chambers of the mattress to vent to atmosphere. 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first valve comprises a first body and a second body, the diaphragm being located between the first and second bodies. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first body is shaped to include the pressurization chamber, the second body being provided with a diaphragm seating surface having a set of first apertures and at least one second aperture, each first aperture of the set of first apertures being pneumatically coupled to a respective one of the pressurized air chambers of the air mattress, and the at least one second aperture being pneumatically coupled to the atmosphere. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the diaphragm is spaced from the diaphragm seating surface when the diaphragm is in the first position and wherein the diaphragm deflects to seat against the diaphragm seating surface to cover the set of first apertures and the at least one second aperture when the diaphragm is in the second position. 
   
   
     5. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the diaphragm seating surface comprises a concave surface. 
   
   
     6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the concave surface is shaped as a portion of a sphere. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one second aperture comprises multiple second apertures. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first apertures and the second apertures are circumferentially spaced in an alternating pattern. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first apertures are each substantially circular in cross section and wherein the second apertures are each non-circular in cross section. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second bodies are separate pieces that are fastened together. 
   
   
     11. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the diaphragm has a peripheral edge that is sandwiched between the first and second bodies. 
   
   
     12. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the pressurization chamber comprises a cylindrical chamber formed in the first body. 
   
   
     13. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the non-return valve comprises a cylindrical body, a piston, and a spring to bias the piston toward a closed position. 
   
   
     14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the non-return valve further comprises an O-ring against which the piston is biased by the spring when the piston is in the closed position. 
   
   
     15. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical body has longitudinal grooves on its internal surface that permit air to move past the piston when the piston is moved away from the closed position against the bias of the spring. 
   
   
     16. An apparatus for use in deflating pressurized air chambers of an air mattress, the apparatus comprising
 a first valve having a pressurization chamber and a diaphragm that flexes between a first position allowing the pressurized air chambers of the mattress to vent to atmosphere and a second position blocking pneumatic communication between the pressurized air chambers of the air mattress and atmosphere, 
 a non-return valve coupled pneumatically to the first valve and configured to permit pressurized air to enter the pressurization chamber and prevent backflow of pressurized air out of the pressurization chamber, 
 a compressor operable to pressurize the pressurization chamber of the first valve through the non-return valve to flex the diaphragm from the first position to the second position, and 
 means for opening and closing the pressurization chamber, the opening and closing means being coupled pneumatically to the pressurization chamber and movable between an opened position in which the pressurization chamber is pneumatically coupled to atmosphere and a closed position in which pneumatic communication between the pressurization chamber and atmosphere is blocked, 
 wherein, when the means for opening and closing is in the closed position and the compressor is operated, the pressurization chamber is pressurizable by the compressor to cause the diaphragm to flex from the first position to the second position, 
 wherein, when the compressor is no longer operating and the means for opening and closing is in the closed position, pressure within the pressurization chamber is maintained due to the non-return valve and the means for opening and closing preventing escape of pressurized air from the pressurization chamber, 
 wherein, after the pressurization chamber has been pressurized and the compressor is no longer operating, the means for opening and closing is movable from the closed position to the opened position to allow the pressurized air to escape to from the pressurization chamber thereby allowing the diaphragm to move from the second position to the first position thereby allowing the pressurized air chambers of the mattress to vent to atmosphere. 
 
   
   
     17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the means for opening and closing comprises an electrovalve that is activated electrically. 
   
   
     18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first valve comprises a first body and a second body, the diaphragm being located between the first and second bodies, the first body is shaped to include the pressurization chamber, the second body being provided with a diaphragm seating surface having a set of first apertures and at least one second aperture, each first aperture of the set of first apertures being pneumatically coupled to a respective one of the pressurized air chambers of the air mattress, and the at least one second aperture being pneumatically coupled to the atmosphere. 
   
   
     19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first apertures and the second apertures are circumferentially spaced in an alternating pattern, the first apertures are each substantially circular in cross section, and the second apertures are each non-circular in cross section. 
   
   
     20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the pressurization chamber comprises a cylindrical chamber formed in the first body and the diaphragm seating surface comprises a concave surface formed in the second body.